Topic: 550 Exhaust upgrades?

[ludite13]

Hi all,
  I've been searching this site for the past hour and have read many posts about a possible exhaust upgrade for my '78 CB550k.  It appears that MAC exhausts are considered to be cheap crap, but all the highly regarded setups (Kerker, Jardine) are no longer available.  What gives?  Is there some sort of double secret source that I as a newbie am not allowed to see?  I really like the looks of Benji's 4 into 2 system, but have a hard time coughing up $800 for a bike that cost me about the same.  I am also looking to boost power output a bit.  Do I have any options here?
  Thanks.

-James

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Didn't you get the secret decoder ring when you signed up as a member?  No biggie.  To get to the super secret parts suppliers, just type "The Dog Barks at Midnight" in the search field then delete all the files on your hard drive.
 

Seriously though, I too am looking for exhaust sources.  I have a 4-4 on my '77 550k that is in bad need of mufflers.  I see some "Dunsel" style maga-phonies at JCWhitney, but the comments lead me to believe they are crap too.

[ProTeal55]

http://HTTP://WWW.MIKESXS.NET

They have lots of random exhaust setups that would look cool on a cafe project.
I cant comment on the quality, but I can say the place has the fastest shipping on earth, and good prices...

[OldSchool_IsCool]

OH WOW!!

Thanks PT!  For the price of some of those replica megaphone mufflers, I would almost consider them disposable! 

Ludite, see what that secret pass phrase will get ya?? 

[Mountainman]

I got my 4 into 1 from these guys:

http://www.cyclexchange.net/index.html

LOVE it.

[ludite13]

DANG!  And here I've been writing "the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back" over and over with no results!
I like the Jardine on the Cycle Exchange site except for the turnouts look a bit low.  The 4 into 1 looks much more promising. 

-James

[ProTeal55]

I am more than happy with my MAC 4 into 1 on my CB750.
All I need to do is cut/weld alittle to get it "tighter" to the bike, but the sound without the
baffle is down right killer !!

[Swede]

I went the cheap route and found a used Kerker 4-1 on ebay for $30 the chrome was a bit pitted so I will either use header wrap or some high temp paint.  The megaphone was shot so I picked up a used megaphone for $30.  Just need to do a little bit of pipe bending to mate up the collector and the megaphone.

Here is a listing for a new 4-2 exhaust on ebay that looks pretty nice.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB-550-CB500-Exhaust-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ280091871145QQcategoryZ35596QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[FunJimmy]

Can anyone confirm the ID of this Kerker on Ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150104665032&rd=1,1

Thanks
Jimmy